Traction reducer



March 23, 1948. J. M. J. RIBOUD TRACTION REDUCER Filed March 1, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JA col/5s M I @5000 BY ,jklubmku' v ATTORNEYS March 23, 1948. J. M. J. RIBOUD TRACTION REDUCER Filed March 1, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Tic l INVENTOR JA col/5 M .1 H5000 v u 4 04% M ATTORNEYJ March 23, 1948. J. M. J. RIBOUD TRACTION REDUCER Filed March 1, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR 1460055 4% 19/5000,

BY MW ATTORN EYJ' Margh 23, 1948.

J. M. J. RIBOUD TRACTION BEDUCER Filed March 1, 1944 Tic. lvl.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR JACQUES M 4/- @5000 mud ATTORN EYJ' Patented Mar. 23, 1948 TRACTION REDUCER Jacques M. J. Riboud, Mount Washington, Md.,

assignor to Specialty Equipment and Machinery Corp., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Maryland Application March 1, 1944, Serial No. 524,834 In Canada March 22, 1943 3 Claims. 1

My invention relates generally to a device for moving heavy objects, and particularly wheelmounted objects, over short distances by the eX- ercise of relatively little power,

The main object of my invention is the provision of a device, which I shall refer to hereinafter as a traction reducer, by which a relatively heavy object can be moved a relatively short distance by the expenditure of relatively little power.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a device which may be detachably secured to an object to be moved, whereby said object can be moved or drawn a short distance at a time, and the device easily and quickly adjusted to repeat the operation again and again, as often as desired.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a locking mechanism and a return mechanism for a traction reducer whereby, after the traction reducer has been operated to move an object for some distance, the object will be prevented from retrograde movement while the traction reducer is reset for reoperation to move the object a further distance.

Still another object of m invention is the provision of traction reducer which comprises a pair of telescoped shafts, one of which is fixed, and the other of which rotates with respect to the fixed shaft.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a traction reducer which comprises a pair of telescoped shafts, one of which is fixed and the other of which rotates with respect to the fixed shaft, a drum mounted on said shafts, and connections between the drum and each of the shafts.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a traction reducer which comprises a pair of telescoped shafts, one of which is fixed and the other of which rotates with respect thereto, a drum mounted on said shafts, a driving Wheel, connections between the drum and each of the shafts, and a connection between the rotatable shafts and the driving wheel, whereby the shafts driving wheel may be locked against retrograde movement.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a traction reducer which comprises a pair of shafts, a drum mounted on one of the shafts, the drum being rotatable and causing rotation of said shaft along-with it, the other shaft being fixed, a connection between the drum and the fixed shaft, rotation of the drum in one direction tensioning the connection to cause rotation of the drum in the opposite direction.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a traction reducer for a wheel-mounted object, the reducer comprising a pair of shafts partially telescoped one within the other, one of the shafts being secured to the wheeled object and fixed against rotation, and the other shaft being rotatable with respect to the fixed shaft, and having a driving engagement with a wheel of the object to be moved, said rotatable shaft having a drum mounted thereon, said drum being rotatable in both directions with the shaft in one direction and without the shaft in the other.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a traction reducer which comprises a pair of telescoped shafts, one of which is fixed and the other of which is rotatable with respect thereto, a drum mounted on the rotatable shaft, and rotatable therewith, means to lock the shaft against movement in one direction, and means to lock the drum and shaft against movement in the same retrograde direction.

Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed out specifically hereinbelow, in connection with the following description of an illustrative embodiment, and still others will be readily apparent therefrom. My device is not to be limited except by the scope of the appended claims. Without limiting my invention thereto, 1 shall describe same as embodied in a device for moving a wheel-mounted object such as a gun carriage. Of course, in situations where motordriven vehicles are available, as tractors or the like, there will be no need for my device, it being needed or useful only in situations where no motor-driven tractors are available or usable, such as limited areas where motor-driven moving means cannot operate efficiently.

In the drawings annexed hereto, and forming a part of this specification:

Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are sketches showing my device attached to a wheeled gun mount, and various steps in the operation thereof;

Figs. 6 and '7 illustrate successive steps inthe attachment of my device to a wheeled gun mount;

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of a bracket device, whereby my device, also shown in side elevation, may be secured onto a wheeled vehicle, the shaft of which is shown in section;

Fig. 9 is a part elevational and part sectional view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 11, showing one form of device constructed according to and embodying my invention;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line l0-|0 of Fig. 9, illustrating the return locking mechanism; and

Fig. 11 is a vertical section through the drum mote smoother rolling contact portions of the shafts.

. alignment, and a jam the alignment, a washer 30 bearing against notches in both shafts determining the the shafts, as held bynuts' component of my invention, on the line I I-I I of Fig. 9.

Referring to the drawings, and Figures 8 to 11 inclusive in particular, my device comprises a stationary shaft II) and a rotating shaft I2, into which shaft l2 the stationary shaft is partially telescoped. Shaft 12 is annularly recessed to receive a plurality of needle bearings or cylindrical rollers I4, I4, to reduce friction between, and proof, the telescoped As seen in Fig, 9, a suitable threaded nut, as 26, fitted onto shaft I2 may be employed to hold shafts I2 and I 'in proper nut 28 is used tomaintain aligned relative positioning of 26, 28.

A large diameter circular hollow drum disposed about the shafts, the drum comprising a pair of built-up side fianges I8, 20 and a periphinside the casing wall as at I8. A stationary sleeve 80 is locked to the underside of housing 68 by a headless set screw 8!, the angled radial teeth 32 therein, opposed and spaced from the angled radial teeth 84 on a sliding sleeve'8ii mounted about shaft l2' and keyed thereinto forrotation therewith. Provision must be made, in attaching my traction reducer to an object to be moved thereby, to lock housing 68 thereto in fixed, non-rotative position. This is notshown on the drawings, but any particular attachment which looks housing 53 against rotaeral rim 22' ofsome width. Flanges I8, 20 of my drum may be provided with stifiening radial ribs as 24, 24, welded or otherwise secured thereonto.

Drum Ifi'is mounted on shaft I2 for rotation therewith and relative thereto, as will be described'in more detail below.

7 Both side flanges I8, 23 are comprised of several members secured together. Flange I8 comprises a disc or hub 32 disposed about the rotating shaft= l2 but does not engage same, and a flat, annular, overlapping plate 34 bolted to hub'32 and welded or otherwise secured to rim 22. The other-side of fiange 20 comprises a disc or hub 36 and an annular plate 38 welded or otherwise secured'to the outer margins of hub 36, and either to the rim 22 directly 'or to a narrower, intermediately disposed,

annular overlapped plate 43, which may be secured to the rim directly.

A bearing-ball race 42 is secured within hub' 36, the outer track 43 thereof being engaged and locked within the hub by a screw bolt 44 which into a socket 5B clamped on shaft 58 of the object to be moved by my device. Socket 56 is no part of my invention as such, serving merely as a guiding and securing means for my device. "The socket may be permanently secured for my device. The

socket may be permanently secured to a shaft 58 of the object which may be moved with the'aid of my traction reducing device.

a The outer end 60 of movable shaft I2, at the opposite side of my device, has fitted thereonto a gear wheel 62, the diameter of which is considerably smaller than that of drum IS. A bolt jcap 64 serves to keep gear 62 engaged onto shaft I2, and as seen at the extreme left-hand of Fig. 9, r

the outer end 69 of shaft I2 is splined, as at 65,

to key gear 52 onto and rotateit along with shaft [2.

A housing 68 is provided, mounted about shaft I2 immediately adjacent hub 32 (see Fig. 9), having arbearing-ball race 10 therewithin, the inner track I2 of which is fixed onto and rotates along with shaft I2 as at E4. The outer track 16 is fixed mayoverside sliding sleeve 86 yielding against thetension of tion of the arrows, Fig.

tion onto thedevice to be moved may serve.

"Teeth 82 and 34 are so angled that even when the sleeves are engaged, as shown in Fig. 9, shaft I2 the clutched teeth in one direction,

spring 38. The shaft cannot rotate in the reverse direction against the angularity of the interlocked teeth 82, 84. H e

*Sliding sleeve 8-6 is disposedabout shaft I2 and is normally urged into engagement withfixed sleeve by a coil spring -33 trapped within housing 68 between ball-race I5 and sleeve 86. -A knob Sill-actuated cam '92 isprovided whereby sliding sleevefifi may be locked indisengaged relation to fiXed sleeve 85. A pair of packing strips 33, 35 are disposed in' housing I58, bearing 'againstshaft I2 and hub'32 respectively, to pref to foul the" vent the entrance of foreign matter operation'of cam 92 and ball-race'lil. V 7

A'clutch 94 is provided within sh ft I2, having spring pressed fingers 96 which are so biased against notches 37 in hub 32 as to lockshaft I2 together with the disc for rotation in the directo rotate in thereverse direction when shaft I 2 is locked against any movement. 7

Drum I6 is internally partitioned laterally thereof'by an annular disc I00, having radial stiffening ribs I02 secured thereto. A plurality ofangle .iron stiffening ribs'l04 are secured on the underside of drum rim 22, transversely disposed thereacross, and,a number of metalstrips or angles I are welded thereontoextending radially into the'drum' to bear against partition disc 'Iilil. -A lateral fiange' I66 is welded inside .the larger compartment within drum *IE to' one of the transverse ribs' I 94, to which are secured a pair of transversely arrangedcylindrical"sleeves I08. One end of a. wide spiral; fiat torsion'spri'ng "I I0 is secured, by'mean's to threadedscrew bolts H2 passing-through suitable. Openingsin' the spring into sleeves I93, and spring llillspirals around inside the drum and its other endfis secured to fixed shaft II) by means of a pair of threaded screw bolts. I I4, II4. In Figs. Qjand 11, spring III) is shown m expanded position within thedrum.

Within the other and smaller compartment of drum I6, I provide another connection. between the drum and fixed shaft 10. 'I disposea fieXible,

non-expansible, chain I16 therewithin, oneend .of which is secured to shaft IU by screw bolts [58, and the other end to the inside of rim 22,.by screws I2il,.as at I22. Chain II 6 is slightly shorter than spring H5, and itis so disposedwithin its compartment that it is wound aboutsha'fts III, I2 when spring H0 is in the expanded position shown in Figs. 9 and 11.

A hook 1240f heavy metal is fixed todrum I6, 7

welded to a stiffening rib I26 therewithin, and

r a cable I28 of steel wire or rope isprovided, one

endof which is engaged onto hook, 124, nd the body of which cable is Wound about rim 22 of r sleeve having.

10, and to permit disc32 5 drum I6 when the device is in the ready-for-use position of Figs. 9 and 11. The other and free end I30 of cable I28 is to be grasped by the operators of my mechanism.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and '7, the shaft 58 of the wheeled object to be moved may have permanently secured thereto a locating arm or bracket I32 and a socket 56. Arm I32 is suitably apertured to permit gear 62 to pass therethrough and into operative engagement with a spur gear I34 secured to a wheel I36 of the object to be moved. In Fig. 6, my traction reducing device is shown supported by bracket 54 just before being keyed into the socket 56.

Gear 62 is lined up with the opening in arm I32 and the device is then slid inwardly, gear 62 engaging spur I32 and suitable means on arm I32 securin the housing 68 against rotation. The final operatively engaged position is shown in Fig. 7, with gear 62 in driving engagement with gear I34.

In Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, my device is indicated by the letter T, and is shown as applied to a trail gun mount. It is desirable, of course, that the trail be lifted off the ground, and thi can be done by another operator B. Free cable end I30 is grasped by operator A, who walks with it in the direction it is desired to move the gun mount. As the cable is pulled, drum IE is rotated. For normal operation, the cam 92 is so positioned and looked that sliding sleeve 86 is disengaged from fixed sleeve 8%, and the rotation of drum I6 carries shaft I2 and gear 62 keyed therewith around in the same direction, the engagement of gear 62 with spur E34 causing rotation of wheel I3?! and forward movement of the object to be moved in the same direction as the operator is drawing the cable. As the drum is rotated counterclockwise, the flat spiral spring H is wound tightly about the shafts, and chain I I 6 is unwound from about the shafts. The purpose of chain H6 is to limit the extent of return rotation of drum It When the cable is released, or when the pulling tension is relaxed. Winding the spring closely about the shaft builds up tension in the spring to cause return rotation of the drum, and the chain limits the extent of this return rotation so that the spring does not entirely run down to below the point where it can exercise any tension. As chain I IE5 unwinds upon rotation of the drum, it is confined within its compartment on the other side of disc Iilt from the compartment within which the spiral spring III! is disposed. Cam 92 may be unlocked to permit engagement of sleeves til, 85 during forward movement, but must be unlocked, and the sleeves engaged if it is desired to prevent any roll back or retrograde movement.

In Figure l, operator A either grasps cable end Iiil, or dons a harness to which the cable end is secured. Operator B may support the gun trail above the ground. As operator A walks forward, in the direction of the arrow, cable I28 is unwound from drum I 6 which is rotated counterclockwisely.

In Fig. 2, operator A has reached the limit permitted by the cable I 28. The operator can continue to keep on pulling by direct traction, and there is no reduction at all. When it is desired to use the reduction again, the operator may follow one of two procedures. He may return to the gun carriage (see Fig. 3) and permit the tension of spring H8 to rewind cable I28 or drum rim 22, or he may stand in one position (see Fig. 4) alternately releasing and pulling cable 6? I28 and thereby drawing the gun carriage towards his position. If it is desired to move the gun carriage in the other direction the traction reducer is removed and placed on the other wheel of the carriage (see Fig. 5).

My device efiectively reduces the force necessary to move the gun carriage, the amount of reduction depending on the relative radii of drum I6, gear 62, spur I34 and wheel I36. The force which actually pulls the carriage is exerted partly on the base of the wheel and partly on the carriage. This is of substantial benefit when the ground is slippery and the friction which the wheel can develop is limited. As many men as desired may work on the cable, and they can exert maximum force with greater force than it is possible to exercise when conventional crank operated means are employed.

The permanent equipment on any object to fit it for movement by my traction reducer is simple, consisting merely of an arm as I32 to permit gear 62 to pass therethrough and to lock housing 68, a spur gear I 34, and a locating and supporting socket 56. There are no alterations nor changes to be made in the gun carriage and my reducer may be installed and removed with no undue amount of time or difiiculty. Two reducers are provided, one for each wheel of the carriage, and whenit is desired to reverse direction, the reducers are merely switched from one wheel to the other.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described to be secured to a wheeled object, said device comprising a shaft, a drum mounted about the shaft, a driving wheel fixed to the shaft for rotation therewith, a direct connection between the driving wheel and a wheel of the wheeled object, rotation of the drum causing rotation of the shaft and of the driving wheel and rotation of the wheel of the wheeled object, the drum being hollow and having a spiral spring disposed therewithin to cause return rotation thereof, and a cable therewithin to limit the extent of such return rotation, rotation of the drum in one direction tightening the convolutions of the spiral spring and unwinding the cable from about the shaft, rotation of the drum in the reverse direction expanding the coils of the spring and rewinding the cable about the shaft.

2. A device of the character described to be secured to a wheeled object, said device comprising a shaft, a drum mounted about the shaft, a driving wheel fixed to the shaft for rotation therewith, a direct connection between the driving wheel and a wheel of the wheeled object, rotation of the drum causing rotation of the shaft and of the driving wheel and rotation of the wheel of the wheeled object, the drum being hollow and having spring means therewithin to cause return rotation of the drum, the drum having means independent of the spring to limit the extent of return rotation of the drum, said last named means functioning when the drum has substantially reached the limit of return movement.

3. A device of the character described to be secured to a wheeled object, said device comprising a shaft, a drum mounted about the shaft, a driving wheel fixed to the shaft for rotation therewith, a direct connection between the driving wheel and a wheel of the wheeled object, rotation of the drum causing rotation of the shaft and of the driving wheel and rotation of the wheel of the wheeled object, thexdrumubein hollow: and "having means therewithin' to cause return rotation of the drum, and having means consisting of a cable ofsubstantiallyinexpansible material independent of the' means causing return rotation of the drum, to limit the extent of the return rotation.

" JACQUES M. J', RIBOUD.

' REFERENCES CI D- The following references are'of re'oord inthe file of this patent: H g g UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Number Scott July 11, 1882 Number 1 Number Austria Sept 25,1924 

